


If Only For A Little While

by StellarLibraryLady



Series: Star Trek Incandescent Hearts [11]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Original Series (Movies)
Genre: AU, Absurd Situation, Angels, Angst and Humor, Cranky McCoy, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Explicit Language, Grief, Grieving McCoy, Grieving Spock, Ill McCoy, Implied Mpreg, Incandescent Hearts (Star Trek Series), M/M, One Shot, Poignant, Pregnancy, Protective Spock, Proud Spock, Sad Spock, Sadness, Snarky McCoy, True Love, Vulcan yelling, spones - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-06 23:00:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10346532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellarLibraryLady/pseuds/StellarLibraryLady
Summary: McCoy's sudden illness lands him in his own Sickbay where his friends rally to support him.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Our Sweet Boy](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Our+Sweet+Boy).



> Blame it on a moody and melancholy Spring.

“Dr. McCoy, are you alright?”

Leonard McCoy glanced at the worried face of his head nurse. “Why would I not be alright, Chapel?”

“Well, you’ve been slurring your words and stumbling a lot.”

He smirked at Scotty who sat on the examining table, then back at Chapel. “Sounds like I’m drunk. And I’m not drunk! Here, wanna smell my breath?”

She waved him away. “Never mind. I know you had that French onion soup for lunch. I don’t want a replay of that. I hope you got Mr. Spock’s approval before you indulged. He might disapprove.”

McCoy grinned. “Don’t worry. It’ll be peace and harmony in our quarters tonight. He had the soup, also. Do you think I want to chance him getting into a royal snit about that? The little, ah, dickens might not say it, but, believe me, he gets his opinion known. And quite clearly. If it rained inside the Enterprise then, he'd drown from having his nose stuck so high up in the air.“

Chapel and Scotty both laughed because they were all well aware of Spock's Drama Queen actions when he wanted McCoy to feel the burn of some supposed slight that the doctor had done to the disapproving Vulcan.

McCoy had been about to say ‘bastard,’ but amended it for Chapel’s sake. But she’d heard worse, he figured. But it was always nice to keep up illusions.

McCoy turned to Scotty. “Well, your physical appears normal as always, Scotty. You’re in fine shape for someone who indulges in the fine brews as much as you do.”

“Aye, Dr. McCoy. I think it’s one thing that keeps the wee creatures burned out of my system.”

McCoy laughed with him. “Well, you just might be onto something, Scotty. Just keep up with what you’re doing, and you'll live to be a hundred and fifty years old.”

“Just as long as I can have a nip of the brew everyday, it’ll be worth living that long. Thank ye now, Doctor,” Scotty said as he slid off the examining table and stood.

McCoy became aware that Chapel had spoken to him. “Pardon me, Christine, what did you say?” he asked as he turned toward her. He must've turned too fast. He felt a little dizzy and made a grab for the examining table to steady himself.

That’s the last he remembered except for Chapel yelling his name in the distance and Scotty grabbing him as darkness closed in and the floor came rushing up toward him.

 

“I think he’s coming around now,“ Jim Kirk said.

McCoy opened his eyes and saw three of his closest friends looking down at him.

“How are you, Bones?“

“What the hell are you three looking at?! This is no peek show!“

Kirk smiled in relief at Spock and Scotty. “He’s back.“

“You gave us quite a fright, Dr. McCoy,“ Scotty informed him with wild eyes. “And just after Nurse Chapel had asked if you were alright. Then you just folded like a Japanese fan and closed up like flower petals in the gloaming of the evening.“

“When in the hell did you get so poetic, Scotty?“ McCoy grumbled. “And will the three of you just stop looking at me?! What’s going on with me, anyway?!“

Then McCoy got treated to a wide variety of reactions to his question.

Scotty tried to figure out where in the room to look and seemed dissatisfied with anyplace his eyes fell. Jim Kirk suffered a fit of coughing and wiped at imaginary tears in his eyes. But Spock. Spock was the best. He looked guilty and somewhat, ah, PROUD?!

The good news was that they hadn't assumed looks of tragic sympathy. The bad news was that two of them were embarrassed with what appeared to be undertones of hysterical hilarity. And the Vulcan, well, it was anybody's guess about him. But he was acting very unSpocklike. All in all, very disturbing. And not at all informative.

What in the blue blazing hell was going on with these three idiots?! What was wrong with him, anyway?!

“Jim? Are you gonna spit it out? Or do I have to pull it out of you?”

“Well, ah.” Kirk took a deep breath. “Tests indicate that there is life in you, Bones.”

“I hope to shout that there‘s life in me! I’m alive, aren’t I?! I’m breathing! I’m talking! Hell, I’m YELLING! What made any of you think I wasn’t alive?!”

“Ah, other life, Bones.”

“Hell, yes! All the little guys in my intestines are busy converting that sludge that keeps flowing down through there so that I can finally absorb needed vitamins and minerals. That makes it so that the little McCoy system can purr right along as usual!” 

McCoy saw Kirk shake his head slightly and struggle to find words. This wasn’t good. Kirk wasn’t known as the silver tongued devil of the universe for nothing. Countess women and several empires could trace their downfall back to him. Kirk was rarely at a loss for words. 

And this seemed to be one of those rare times.

“Facial lice?” McCoy questioned weakly. “Bird mites, although I don’t know how in the hell I could’ve come up with them out here in space. Come on, Jim! I was never good at guessing games! Let me know the worst, so I can kill whatever, or whoever, is responsible!”

There it was again. That exchange between Kirk and Scotty and Spock, except this time Spock didn’t look so proud. In fact, he looked a little concerned for himself.

“Bones, there appears to be foreign life in you.”

“That bunch of visiting Romulans never touched me! I made sure of that!”

“But Spock did.”

“Eh?”

“In fact, he did more than touch you.”

“Is this really news to you?! He and I have been together for awhile! He touches me! He more than than touches me! He sleeps with me! Naked! We're both naked! And it isn't just because the frosty-assed Vulcan keeps it hot enough in our quarters to cook doorknobs and ten penny nails and have them tender enough to eat for breakfast the next morning! And don't bother giving us matching pajamas, because we sure as hell wouldn't know what to do with them! We sure as hell wouldn't use them to sleep in, that's for damn sure! He knows me, in the Biblical sense! We have carnal knowledge of each other! Often! He puts his hands and other parts of himself on, and, most especially, IN, neat places belonging to my person! Often! As often as I allow it! As often as I want it! As often as I demand it! He‘s damn good to me that way, and I want it to continue! Any questions?!“ 

Kirk looked startled. "No, I, ah, think that about covers it." He turned. "Scotty? Any, ah, questions?"

"I, I, I'm, ah, good, Captain." Scotty looked perplexed as he nodded. "Good."

But Spock had been the most interesting to observe during McCoy’s tirade.

As McCoy set his eyes on Spock, he could still see Spock trying to decide between pride and self-consciousness. What in the hell was wrong with the damn Vulcan now?! McCoy never figured Spock to have a Victorian side, but something like that seemed to be showing up in him now. Was McCoy embarrassing him?

And that brought up another point to McCoy. “And how do you know what we did, anyway, Kirk?! Were you watching us somehow?! Are you some sort of sleazy voyeur?!”

“Yes. But not this time, with you guys." He frowned. "Although I’m kind of sorry now that I didn’t,” he muttered almost to himself. “It must’ve been quite a session.”

“Alright, Kirk, in the simplest words you know, tell me what is going on with me. I‘m a doctor. I‘ve heard all the big words. But this time, just keep it simple.”

Kirk and Spock and Scotty shifted uneasily. This really had to be good.

Or really bad.

“Well, ah, Bones, it’s this way. Tests indicate that you are, ah, in a delicate condition. Your only other symptom was some rectal bleeding after the tests were finished. That‘s why you are wearing a sanitary pad.“

“And what did the tests indicate was my problem?“

“Your, ah, delicate problem?“

“Okay, my, ah, delicate problem, as you prefer to call it. But what did the tests indicate?“

Kirk glanced at the other two, then turned to McCoy. “Well, ah, Bones, it’s this way. You seem to be, ah, pregnant. With Spock‘s baby.”

Wait for it, wait for it, as McCoy’s eyes get bigger and bigger. You know the explosion is going to be huge.

“Pregnant?! Pregnant?!”

“Bones. Control yourself.”

“That’s what you should have advised the damn Vulcan to do! I wasn’t the one on top! And, now, here I am! Knocked up!” He tossed his head toward Spock. “By him?!”

“Unless there’s been someone else?” Kirk suggested.

“He might not be sure, but I sure as hell am,” McCoy grumbled. “It’s his.” He looked at the group facing him, as if he was waiting for all of them to yell ‘April Fool!’ But nobody spoke up. That’s when McCoy started to believe them.

McCoy frowned. “A baby?! Are you certain about all of this?!”

“I know it’s startling, Bones, but you mustn’t get so excited.”

“If you say that it’s bad for the baby, I’m going to hit you right in the middle of that pretty mouth of yours, and it won’t be so pretty anymore!”

“Bones. I know this is all stunning to accept--”

“Stunning to accept?! May I remind you idiots of something?! Something rather basic?! Something that might have eluded the three of you otherwise very intelligent people?! I do not possess a working set of ovaries! Nor a vagina! That was my anal canal that Spock rammed himself into so lustily!”

Spock had the grace to roll his eyes upward and blush a dark green. 

Good! McCoy thought. Let him blush! Let him feel some discomfort! It’s a whole lot better than what I’m going to be feeling if what these clowns tell me is true!

“Bones. I really don’t need details about your, ah, private life together. I know that the details are probably embarrassing to both of you.” Kirk thought a minute. “Although, now that you mention them, they are rather interesting to me and Scotty.” He looked at Scotty who nodded and grinned.

McCoy‘s eyes flared. “If you don’t believe me about any of this apparently startling information to you, I have books in my possession that will clearly explain to you morons the facts of life! And one of those basic facts is that males don’t reproduce young of the species! Any species! Especially mankind! That’s where the lower animals have it over the upper animals on the scale of life! Some of them can even change their sex at will! That might even come in handy. Then they could have sex with whoever happened to come around! Hell, they could probably even have sex with themselves, if they are agile enough!” He looked flustered. “How in the hell did I get on a soliloquy about biology and reproduction in the animal kingdom?!”

“I don’t know, Bones. It seemed to give you focus so you weren’t sputtering. And it seemed to calm you down.”

“Calmed me down?! You think I was calming down?! How did you decide that?!”

“I may have been mistaken,” Kirk said with a sigh.

“Damn straight!” McCoy muttered. Then he remembered and looked up. “How pregnant am I?”

Kirk frowned, trying to look serious, even though it was an effort. “I’m not a medical man, mind you, but the way I understand it, with pregnancy, it’s either yes or no. There are no degrees in between. Such as you cannot be half pregnant.”

“Tests would indicate, Doctor, that--”

“You shut up, Spock! You’ve done enough damage for awhile!”

There was that damn half smile back on the Vulcan’s face.

The proud daddy!

It struck McCoy. He was pregnant!

Oh, (expletive)! (expletive)! (expletive)!

And that didn’t half cover it!

He felt the emotion building inside him. The injustice! The humiliation! The anger! And there was the one responsible for his condition standing before him displaying one of the few emotions McCoy had ever seen on the Vulcan’s face.

Pride!

McCoy was full of all kinds of emotion. His insides were expanding, expanding, threatening to split the confines of his finite body. Yet it had to come out someway. Maybe it would be somewhat akin to how heavy and bloated his pregnant body would get in the last weeks of pregnancy.

Oh, (expletive)!

“Bones! Calm yourself!” a worried Kirk advised. “You look like you’re going to explode.” 

Looking had nothing to do with it! McCoy was going to explode.

Kirk and the others sensed the tightening inside McCoy. They seemed to draw themselves back, out of range of McCoy’s building emotional state.

McCoy opened his mouth to release all of his pent up emotion and anger.

“Spock-k-k-k!”

Spock looked alarmed and drew back in defense.

Kirk glanced at Scotty. “I think that Spock and I yelled louder, don’t you, when we were hollering about Khan?”

“Aye, Captain,” Scotty agreed. “Indeed, you lads did. But the good doctor here isn’t in his prime. Some of his strength is already compromised. You must remember that.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re right. He’s exhausted from being out making a baby.”

“Will you two assholes please refrain from the comedy routine?” McCoy asked in exasperation. “My life is ruined here, and you two are doing stand up.”

“Why?” Kirk asked with a smirk. “Why do you think your life is ruined? I’m sure that Spock would be willing to marry you.”

Spock stepped forward. “Why, yes, Captain, I am prepared to unite with--”

“You dumb assholes! My honor isn’t at stake here! My asshole is! I can’t have a baby! Hell, I can’t allow a baby to grow inside me! My anal canal already has a purpose.” He glanced at Spock. “And it isn’t to be that idiot’s playground! Or to have his baby!”

Spock turned away with a sigh.

Kirk and Scotty gave each other helpless looks as if they didn't know what to do next.

That didn't set well with McCoy. “Stop acting like I’m the one at fault here! I am not being unreasonable!”

“Of course you aren’t, Bones. It’s just all of your hormones going crazy.”

“If you say it’s because I’m pregnant, I will get up and sock you!”

“But, Bones, it could be the reason for your flightiness and passing out.”

“May I remind you, as I thought that I already had, that I am not set up to have a baby, or even to conceive one! For me to be pregnant would take some kind of miracle. I do not have female ovaries inside my rectum. God didn‘t set me up that way.”

“No, but you might have ovaries inside your abdomen somewhere.”

“Eh?”

“It’s recorded all the time. Stray limbs we don’t need, but are born with, anyway.”

“If you’re talking about parasitic twins, there’s a perfectly logical explanation for those. They are one of a set of twins that didn’t develop properly and is partially reabsorbed back into the healthy twin who came to full term.”

“We might have stray organs inside us that we don’t need. Three kidneys. Two livers. In your case, a set of female ovaries.”

“You’re forgetting something. Spock screwed my ass, not my abdomen!”

“Maybe he punctured your anal wall and entered your abdomen. Then his semen penetrated your rogue set of female ovaries and impregnated you.”

McCoy glanced at the Vulcan who was looking satisfied despite the seriousness of McCoy’s situation and the shame of what Spock had done.

“Not even Superman could do that! And he’s made of steel!”

Spock looked skeptical.

“Well, maybe Superman could,” McCoy conceded. “But he’s the only one. As stiff as Spock was, he’s still just flesh and blood. Uh, down there. No bones were involved, no matter how his ego might want to argue otherwise.”

Spock looked deflated and turned aside.

“Besides,” McCoy continued. “Did it ever occur to any of you knuckleheads that if my anal wall had been punctured, I would now be suffering from an incurable infection? So many contaminants would have entered my abdomen from my bowels that I would now be well on my way to dying. No amount of antibiotics could cure me. You’d be looking at a dead man. And if you did, by some miracle save me, the fetus would probably be naturally aborted. My ovaries might even be scarred enough so that I might not ever be able to get pregnant again. It would be a couple’s sorrow. A family tragedy. No children.”

“So, you’re saying, that you could accept that you have within your system a pair of working female ovaries and that you might indeed be pregnant?”

“Jim! No! I have no ovaries! I am not pregnant! Super Stud over there did not impregnate me, no matter what his ego is thinking!”

“Nonetheless, Bones, there are signs of OTHER life in you.”

“Captain,” Chapel said, suddenly beside him. “We have more of a clarification on Dr. McCoy’s tests. It seems we made a slight error. I could have sworn that there was something there earlier. But, now there doesn't seem to be anything. There must have been a rectal cyst that broke. That could account for the clotted bleeding from the rectum.”

“I told you idiots! I’m not pregnant!”

“No, you’re not, Doctor. There is another problem, though. You have some alien amoebae that invaded your anal canal during your, ah, recent activities. We can irrigate your bowel to expel the amoebae, and you’ll be better in no time! You can undergo that procedure as soon as your company leaves.”

McCoy paled. “You mean you are going to give me an, an--”

“That’s right, Dr. McCoy. I am going to administer an old fashioned enema into your rectum. We‘ll flush out all of those nasty old amoebae.”

“I don’t like that gleam in your eyes, Chapel. You’re going to get way too much pleasure from administering this procedure.”

“Why, Doctor,” Chapel protested while she fought to clear her face of any mirth and failed. “I will be as professional as I can be.”

“You know that those amoebae will likely die from the bowel contents and pass harmlessly from my system in time?”

“That is the theory, Doctor. But an enema would make certain and would be much quicker and more thorough. Doctor, it‘s what you would prescribe for any other patient.”

“Oh, alright. Might as well get it over with.”

“It will be my pleasure, Doctor.”

McCoy looked at Chapel sharply. “What?!”

Her face cleared. “Ah, nothing, Dr. McCoy.” She turned to the others. “If I may ask you gentlemen to excuse us, please?”

“Of course, nurse,” Kirk answered. “We don’t want to get in the road of a medical procedure.”

“I knew that you gentlemen would understand.”

“You idiots are having as much fun at my expense as Chapel is.”

“No, Bones! We’re just so damn happy that it isn’t us who is having to get the enema. Right, guys?”

“Aye, Captain,” Scotty agreed.

The three men turned for the door.

“Wait,” McCoy said.

The three turned back to him.

“Jim. Scotty. Thanks for being here. I appreciate it.”

“Where else could we be if you collapse mysteriously?”

“Anyway, thanks.” 

“Besides, we were almost uncles.”

“Aye,” Scotty agreed sadly.

“Go on. Get out of here,” McCoy admonished. “And you would’ve been great as uncles.”

The three turned back to the door. Everyone was keenly aware that McCoy had not singled out Spock to thank. 

Spock‘s heart was heavy. No wonder McCoy did not recognize him. Spock was responsible for McCoy‘s present condition and upheaval in emotions. McCoy probably did not want anything to do with him for a very long time. Spock did not blame McCoy for any hard feelings that he was harboring.

“I want to talk to Spock a minute,” McCoy said softly. "Alone."

Chapel and the two men glanced at Spock who was looking a little startled. Dare he hope?

“Alright, Doctor,” Chapel agreed. “But I’ll be waiting.”

“I know you will,” McCoy grumbled. “You wouldn’t want to miss out on that experience.”

Chapel’s eyes were fairly dancing. “No, Doctor.”

McCoy waited until the door closed on the other three. The room quieted. Spock was studying a corner of the room with intent interest.

“So. Spock,” McCoy started.

“Doctor,” Spock answered as emotionless as ever.

“So we aren’t pregnant, anymore.”

Spock pursed his lips and lowered his head. “No, Doctor.”

“I wouldn’t have minded, you know,” McCoy said softly.

Spock looked up sharply.

“I wouldn’t have minded. To be carrying a baby.” His eyes snapped. “Your baby. Especially your baby.”

Spock pursed his lips and nodded.

“Those few minutes I thought I was pregnant were wonderful. I know I was yelling and making noises to the contrary, but all the while, I was getting used to the idea. And accepting. And liking. My baby. Spock‘s baby. Our baby.”

Spock looked at him sharply.

“And then it was taken away from us.”

Spock frowned and his body seemed to shake with some passion he would not allow himself to experience.

“You must hate me,” Spock managed to whisper in the quiet.

“No. I don’t hate you.”

Spock felt like he couldn’t breathe. To feel joy one minute and sorrow the next. He wanted nothing to do with these Earthling emotions. But he could not desert McCoy in his weakness and need. He would not leave McCoy, but he knew he could not stay. Any moment now, McCoy would send him away. Then he could encapsulate his pain so he would never have to look at it again. But Spock knew that it would be there, ready to reappear, ready to gnaw at him, ready to silently kill his heart. And it would be his alone to bear.

“I don’t hate you, Spock. How could I? I’m afraid that you might hate me.”

Spock frowned. “Why?”

“I cannot give you a child.”

“I could not possibly hate you for that.”

“Then, how can you ever imagine that I could hate you for the same reason?“

Spock frowned and suddenly found that he could breathe only through his mouth. His nose had unaccountably closed up, and his eyes were stinging like tiny bees were nipping at his eyelids.

“We need to stick together for this. I need you with me. I cannot do this alone.” McCoy held out his hand. “Darlin,’ come to me.” 

And Spock did. With a strangled sob, he rushed to McCoy’s bed and buried his head on McCoy’s chest. He didn’t even have to be cajoled. 

McCoy wrapped his arms around Spock‘s shoulders as they heaved with Spock‘s sorrow. McCoy smiled through his tears. His arms fit so nicely around Spock. McCoy did not even mind that his own tears were running over his face and into his ears. Nothing mattered, because Spock was with him and not blaming him.

McCoy gently brushed through Spock‘s bangs with his fingers. “Oh, my sweet darlin,’ to finally see you crying. And to do it over a child that we were never meant to bring into the world. A child that was never even there. But to us it was there. Wasn‘t it?” he asked softly. “If only for a little while, it was with us. And I miss it so already.”

Spock raised his head. Unashamed tears were running down his face, also. “I would have been so proud of our child. I would have loved it so much.”

“I know you would have. I’m disappointed, too. And for a little while, we were happy with it, weren’t we?”

“Yes, Leonard, we were.”

McCoy’s eyes flicked over Spock’s face. “You haven’t slept, have you? You’ve been worried about me.”

“How could I sleep? You collapsed from an unknown cause. Then you were pregnant, and everything I ever knew about medicine told me that you couldn’t be expecting a child. But, underneath, there was a pride. My child. Our child. And then, just now, to learn that there was no child. But it had been there! I know it had been!"

"Shh! I know it, too," McCoy said softly. He stared across the room without seeing. "That was no rectal cyst. That was our baby. But it left to protect me, because it knew that I could not be pregnant in my rectum." He squeezed his eyes tightly shut. "So it left. And it took my ovaries with it so I would never be in danger again." He opened his eyes as fresh tears started. "That's how much it loved us. It died to protect us. But it was here. It was here. And I'll believe that with my dying breath. It was here."

"And then it was gone. I was devastated. But you, you had been carrying it. How you must be suffering. It left, and my heart broke, for it and for you. My pain could not match yours, and yet it hurts so bad!”

“You’ve really been on a roller coaster, haven’t you? And you don’t have a clue as to how to handle everything that has been crashing into your feelings.”

“And I could not get to you to give me solace, to make me feel at peace, so I could rest. All I wanted was to lie in your arms, like this, and sleep. But you were unconscious, and I couldn‘t be in your arms. I needed you so much. And I was so worried about you. I could not help you. I could not protect you. I could not get to you. All I could do was look at you, and ache.”

McCoy's heart broke for his struggling mate. “Well, you’re here now," he said softly. "And you can sleep.”

Spock frowned. “But, I cannot. Nurse Chapel is waiting.”

“There’s no rush with that procedure. And you are priority.”

“But--”

“I am your doctor, and I can make decisions like that about you. So, hush! Curl up now, and go to sleep. It’ll be good for the both of us.” He looked deep into Spock’s eyes. “Please, Spock,” he said softly. “I need to hold onto something alive, if only for a little while. Before you are gone, too.”

“That will not be for a long time, Leonard.”

“It could be tomorrow,” McCoy whispered. “And then what will I do? So, please, just for a little while, let me hold you. Sleep in my arms and let me hold you tight. So I’ll know that I am not alone.” He felt tears spring into his eyes and knew that Spock could see them, too.

Spock lay against McCoy’s side, half draped himself over McCoy’s body, and snuggled his face into McCoy’s neck. He sighed as he felt McCoy‘s arms tighten, then relax again. “I do not want to be without you, Leonard.”

McCoy turned his head and kissed Spock’s temple. “I’m not going anywhere. And if I do, you’ll be right along with me.” He felt Spock relax with the reassurance. Then McCoy grinned at his lover who was swiftly falling asleep. “We’ll be each others’ shadows. How about that?”

He was so far into slumber that Spock could only grunt his assent, but he acknowledged McCoy’s words. McCoy hugged Spock close to him so Spock could feel him. Then Spock relaxed further into restful sleep.

That’s where nurse Chapel found them moments later.

“Oh, is Mr. Spock asleep?”

“Yes,” McCoy answered in an exaggerated stage whisper. “And I want him to stay that way.”

“He looks so exhausted.”

“He is. He’s been worried sick about me, apparently, and wouldn’t let the rest of you help him.”

“And we would have, Dr. McCoy.”

“I know that, and he’ll get so he’ll accept it with time. We just need to be patient with him. He’s slowly learning to trust us.” He smiled fondly at the figure crumbled against him. “But we’ll give him that time, Christine, because he is so worth it.”

“You love him a lot, don’t you, Doctor?” Chapel said gently.

“Yes, I do. Now be a dear, and spread a blanket over the both of us. We’ll be okay. He and I will take care of each other. That‘s the way it is meant to be.”

Christine Chapel very carefully tucked the blanket around them. Then she smiled down. “You are very lucky, Doctor.”

They both looked at the sleeping Vulcan in McCoy’s arms.

“How well I know it, Christine. I‘m never letting this one go. He‘d have to put up one helluva battle getting rid of me.” His eyes flicked over the face he could never get tired of looking at. “But that‘s one thing that‘s never going to happen. Yes, Christine, how well I know how lucky I am.”

She tiptoed away, shut off the lights, and quietly exited.

McCoy lay looking down at his friend, his lover, his mate.

“How well I know it, indeed.” He kissed Spock’s temple once more, snuggled against him with a sigh, and was soon fast asleep himself.

 

And their miracle baby up in Heaven smiled down at them. He felt so much better now that he had been sloughed off in the rectal blood. It was a good thing that he was up here. He would have had so many physical, mental, and behavioral problems if he had lived with his two daddies. A rectum is not a good place to develop. It had been affecting Baby for some time now. So he had to leave.

And he had to protect Daddy, too. Carrying a child in the rectum would have killed Daddy. And the other Daddy would have never gotten over the sorrow of losing Daddy and would have died of grief himself. So when Baby left, he took with him his special home in Daddy. Now Daddy would never be in danger again. Baby wanted to do this for his daddies so they could always be together. He loved his dear daddies that much.

But if by some chance, Baby would have been born and Daddy had lived, there would have still been all of Baby's problems. His daddies would have loved him so much and done their best for him, but he would have been such a trial to them and would have strained their love for each other. It was better that Baby left when he did. But he had felt their love for him and carried it with him now. And he knew there would always be love headed his way from them to keep him safe forever.

Baby threw his daddies a kiss, curled up in a comfortable ball the way he had done before he left Daddy’s body, and went to sleep himself until it was time for his daddies to join him up in Heaven. That would not be for awhile yet.

Then the special light from the godhead surrounded Baby in a gentle warmth, and the child began to glow with all of that heavenly love from above and all of that daddy love from below.

That’s how he became the newest star in the universe that his daddies explore. And his light will guide them home someday. Until then, he will wait alone. 

But only for a little while.

**Author's Note:**

> Our Sweet Boy was a young man in our family whom we lost too early. His story is elsewhere in my fics under "Our Sweet Boy."
> 
> I own nothing dealing with Star Trek, its characters and/or its story lines.


End file.
